Building Operations Weekly

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Employee Engagement

Celebrate Earth Day 2019…Clean Up the Campus

Building Operations Celebration for the Planet

In support of the five strategies that are the foundation of the mission of Building Operations, in particular Employee Engagement and success pillar 1.3., UBC Building Operations Waste Management team would like to host a fairly “down-to-earth” Earth-Day event on April 23^rd from noon to 2:00pm at the Waste Management loading dock. Earth Day is an annual event and this will be Building Operations first annual participation. The event is open to all Building Operations staff to attend and may expand to other departments in following years.

Earth Day is now a global event each year, and it is believed that more than 1 billion people in 192 countries now take part in what is the largest civic-focused day of action in the world.

What to Expect at the Celebration

At the celebration participants will be greeted with information on Earth Day and how this event supports that initiative. There will also be information available on what role Building Operations Waste Management plays in supporting the UBC Zero Waste action plan.

The event will also include a ‘Clean-up the Campus’, where participants will be teamed up and sent on a 1hr litter collection session in assigned clean-up zones within the Campus core grounds. While participants are busy picking up litter, they also have an opportunity to take part in a scavenger hunt. There will be markers scattered throughout the various clean-up zones to highlight Earth Day. Those who find the markers will win a prize at the end of the event.

Teams will bring back all collected litter to the event location (Waste Management loading dock) for sorting and record keeping, where coffee (please try to bring your own mug) and snacks will be available for all participants.

Celebration for the Planet Schedule

Meeting location: Waste Management loading dock

Wear your pink shirts!

Week of April 8 – 15 Post sign-up sheets in all USB shops.

April 23, 2019

Noon – Information session on Earth-Day and information for “Clean-up the Campus” teams at the meeting location.

12:15pm – Teams are sent out to assigned clean-up zones

1:15pm – Teams returning to the meeting location with collected waste (and prize markers)

1:30pm – Prizes given out, waste sorting data collection, coffee/snacks and picture taking.

CELEBRATE VAISAKHI WITH CUSTODIAL SERVICES ON FRIDAY, APRIL 12

Vaisakhi is the celebration of community, progression and the Punjabi New Year by offering food and drinks to all. Each year, our staff spend countless hours making homemade samosas & pikoras (sometimes starting at 2:30am!) and pick up hundreds of baked goods & treats to give out to all that stop by to say “Happy Vaisakhi!”. The event is done through the generosity and the personal cost of our wonderful staff. All shifts (day, evening, night) collaborate to organize this, as well as our Utility Workers and our Storekeepers.

This is the first year that Day and Night Shift will celebrate at our new Life Building Office, located in the basement of the old SUB (down the stairs from the Starbucks.)

The celebrations are as follows:

Day Shift – 6:30am Life Office

Night Shift – 7:15am Life Office

Evening Shift – 3:30pm C&CP2 Office and LSC Office

Please come by and celebrate with us!

Feel free to forward this invite to your teams.

Don’t Miss Out on the Fun and Games…Register for Staff and Faculty Sports Day 2019!

The Staff and Faculty Sports Day is a much anticipated event hosted by UBC Recreation in collaboration with UBC Human Resources. Teams from departments across campus compete in a variety of fun recreational challenges that can be accomplished through teamwork.

Take this opportunity to know your colleagues outside the work environment and get your dose of fun and laughter. Contact Caroline Soriano at caroline.soriano@ubc.ca and don’t miss out of the fun.

Event details:

Date & Time: Friday, May 3, 2019, 2:30 – 4:00 pm

Ceremonies & Refreshments: 3:00 – 6:00 pm

Customer Experience

Custodial Services and BOLD Group Prepare Spaces for Student Exams

Custodial Services and the Building Ops Labour Division (BOLD) worked together this past week to ensure the delivery of approximately 1,400 tables and chairs to SRC and Osborne gyms.

This delivery and set up took approximately 5 days to complete and involved alternating crews working 24 hours a day. All tables at SRC were numbered by Enrolment Services for the first time.

Both gyms needed to be tarped first fully to protect the floors.

This massive undertaking also involved the delivery of 50,000 exam booklets so far to 33 buildings hosting final exams.

Both units will collaborate again on the breakdown commencing Thursday, April 25th.

Do Not Park Personal Vehicles in USB Yard

UBC Parking has recently been ticketing workers’ personal vehicles in the USB yard while they are attending call outs. For the time being, while attending after hours call out please do not park in the USB yard.

For Your Safety Use Sidewalks When Going Between Lower Mall Header House and USB

Reminder for everyone that the Header House yard and loading dock should not be used as a thoroughfare when traveling between USB and Lower Mall Research. It is an active works yard where vehicles and equipment are being utilized during the day. Please use the route via the sidewalk along Oberlander Lane as the preferred route between USB and Header House (see attached map with preferred route shown in yellow).

Back Up Building Ops’ Service Vehicles Safely

Building Operations has the largest fleet presence on campus. Not only are our vehicles noticed but also our driving habits. With the university in full swing all year round, we need to be mindful when driving and parking around campus. Last year we had 17 accidents due to not using care and attention when backing up a vehicle.

A driver’s field of vision is very limited when backing up a vehicle. Be aware of your surroundings and do a visual check prior to backing out of a parking spot. If available, use a spotter when backing up. Or when possible, park the vehicle by backing into the spot first so that leaving afterwards will be easier and would not require backing out. With a conscious driving behavior, majority of vehicle incidents can be prevented, resulting in minimizing injuries and vehicle damage.

CHANGES TO THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE STAFF RENT-GEARED-TO-INCOME PROGRAM EFFECTIVE MARCH 1, 2019

In February 2018 President Santa Ono announced the launching of the Staff Rent-Geared-to-Income Pilot program. Since then minor adjustments to the eligibility requirements were made and took effect on March 1, 2019.

UBC full-time staff in good standing on the Vancouver campus who meet all the following are eligible:

permanent full-time (more than 80% of a 35 hour work week) employees or term employees with a contract at least 1 year in length (no break in service);

Have a gross pre-tax household income no more than $68,000 (BC Housing Income Limits, effective June 1, 2018) per annum

have no more than $100,000 in assets

Visit http://www.hr.ubc.ca/housing-relocation/housing/rental/rgi/ to learn more.

UBC Equity & Inclusion Office Thanks Building Operations for Their Input Into the Survey

The UBC Equity and Inclusion Office is working the campus partners to develop an Inclusion Action Plan that will identify areas and actions of focus needed to create a more inclusive and welcoming live, work, learn community.

The university recognized the value of diversity and inclusion, and the positive impact that welcoming and inclusive environments have on the wellbeing, experiences, and achievement of students, faculty and staff. The Inclusion Action Plan (IAP) will provide an guiding document that identifies priority goals for inclusion at UBC and strategic level actions needed in order to achieve those goals.

Thank you to all for welcoming Louise Griep, Equity & Inclusion Engagement Strategist, to your shop and thank you for providing your input and comments to complete their analysis.

Innovation

Installing Kick Plates Reduced Maintenance Costs

Custodial Services was spending a great deal of time scrubbing shoe marks from the bottom of the brand new white doors in the Life Building. An engaged custodial employee, George Nodar, had an innovative idea to install kick plates at the bottom of the doors to reduce maintenance costs. This proposed solution was supported up the chain and finally to the sheet metal shop. Anthony Boyce from sheet metal executed the job perfectly making the doors look fantastic and mark resistant. Custodial crews are now able to better utilize their limited servicing hours on making a difference in other areas of the Life building. George should feel proud every time he walks through those doors thanks to his bright idea.

Thank you George, Anthony, and everyone in between who supported an open and empowering environment where ideas are appreciated and realized. This is Innovation, this is Enabling Greatness.

Leadership Development

Looking To Progress in Your Career or Learn Tips & Tricks for Improved Work Performance? Use Lynda!

UBC Human Resources provides all faculty and staff with free and unlimited access to lynda.com‘s learning resources.

Lynda.com offers an online collection of self-guided instructional videos designed to provide staff and faculty with just-in-time resources to assist in a variety of areas, including updating software, skills, learning new technology tools, and enhancing workplace business practices.

Lynda.com resources are particularly useful to faculty who want to support flexible learning initiatives at UBC. The ongoing access for staff supports the availability of accessible, timely, work-related learning opportunities to enhance performance and career development.

Navigate to http://www.lynda.ubc.ca and then click on the CWL Login icon as pictured below. Explore a world of learning when you log in.

Check Out www.hr.ubc.ca/careers for Current Building Ops Job Postings

Know anyone interested in working in Building Operations? Let them know about our current job postings

Job #33374 Director, Asset Replacement & Improvements
Job #33395 Seasonal Labourer 2
Job #33147 Project Coordinator – Mechanical & Electrical